Construct - Issue 44

Project

A programme to convert the Royal Borough of Greenwich streetlights to energy saving LEDs is on track to be completed ahead of programme and with additional works completed within the original budget. The programme is being delivered by FM Conway’s lighting division, which last year won a six-year term contract to maintain streetlights in the borough. Greenwich currently owns around 21,000 streetlights and another 4,000 on road signs and bollards. Most use traditional, inefficient lamps, resulting in high electricity bills, CO 2 emissions and maintenance costs. Converting them to LEDs will use around 70% less energy, with additional efficiencies coming from the fact that the new luminaires are fitted with a near field programmable driver that reduces the light by 30% between 12am and 6am. The Borough plans to replace all its lanterns and is starting with those in most need of replacement – especially those with columns that are structurally unsafe. These were

identified by FM Conway during the previous term contract period.

residents, so FM Conway is putting the new ones in the same position.

will be completed in June and the lamp column replacements in September, halving the anticipated programme. “The earlier we finish, the more energy the client saves,” says Graham, who explains that the efficiencies have been achieved through good planning and the right resources, including a high number of very competent operatives with excellent supervision. He adds: “Because of the efficiencies we’ve brought to the contract, the client will have more work done for the same budget.” Tony Hutchinson, street lighting manager at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, says: “Since the contract award it was always apparent that a scheme of this magnitude would be challenging. However, working with the FM Conway team has been rewarding. From the initial planning to starting on the ground, it has shown that careful planning not only eliminates major disruption but also shows how work can be completed in a timely manner.”

GREENWICH STREET LIGHTING IN NUMBERS 3,000 lamp columns replaced 17,500 lanterns replaced 70% energy saving per year 1,500t CO 2 savings per year

FACTS

“Over five years we surveyed all the lighting assets and did structural tests of all the columns,” explains lighting director Graham Cartledge. “From that we developed a traffic light system for replacing them, with red being the ones most at risk.” Around 3,000 lamp columns were identified as red or high amber, and these are now being taken out and replaced with new steel columns that include LED lanterns. A further 14,500 luminaires are being switched over to LED on existing columns. “We started with areas that had the highest outage rates,” explains FM Conway business, client & technical support manager Steve Deakin. The traditional way to replace lamp columns is to install a new column next to the existing one, then swap the electrical connections over and come back later to dismantle the old column. But the slightest change in location can have a negative impact on

“We arrive at the street, excavate to expose the service cable, then disconnect and remove the existing columns, install the new columns in the same holes and reconnect – all in the same day,” explains Graham. “It is less work since we don’t need to temporarily reinstate where the old column was.” The lighting division currently has 10 gangs working on the column replacement, and a further four gangs carrying out the lantern conversions. In accordance with FM Conway’s commitment to reducing waste and making construction as sustainable as possible, all the old lamps, luminaires and columns are being recycled. The old concrete lamp columns are going to FM Conway’s Dartford recycling depot for crushing into backfill material.

Contract Street lighting conversion to LED Client Royal Borough of Greenwich

Location Greenwich

FM Conway division Lighting

Contract period October 2021 - September 2022

The company is well ahead of schedule with the whole project. All the lantern conversions

STREETLIGHTS THROUGHOUT THEROYAL BOROUGHOFGREENWICHAREGOINGGREEN MUCHFASTER THANTHECLIENT EXPECTED, THANKS TOANEFFICIENT TEAMANDCAREFUL PLANNING LIGHT SAVER

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